The present invention relates to a changeabe display device having an array of display elements whose orientation may be altered to form various displays.
Many business establishments utilize signs to advertise prices of certain key items and other information. Gasoline filling stations, for example, generally advertise the price of gasoline, cigarettes or other products in this manner. Hotels, motels, automobile dealerships, and other roadside businesses similarly display prices or other information to the public. Because the prices or other information may vary with time, it is necessary that the sign be changeable to reflect these changes.
Some of the existing changeable signs provide for the numbers or letters to be removable from the basic structure of the sign. The sign is changed by removing the individual numbers or letters and replacing them with others. The individual characters are attached to the sign in a variety of ways. The users of signs of this type are required to select and store the proper combinations of numbers and letters to enable them to display the desired variety of messages. In situations where the display must be seen from great distances, the display characters for some signs may be quite large, some being as large as five feet tall. Characters of this size are particularly unwieldy to remove and attach to a sign, especially if the sign is disposed at a location at a great distance above the ground. In addition, one or more characters in a particular display sign may be removed or otherwise become detached from the sign, thereby making the sign display incomplete.
It is therefore desirable to have a changeable display device which does not incorporate detachable display characters. This has been accomplished by providing display devices which include an array or regularly shaped display elements. Each display element typically has at least two sides of contrasting colors, and an equal number of display positions in which one of the sides is viewable from the front of the device. Each individual character or number or letter in the display is formed by positioning the appropriate arrangement of display elements to form that number or letter. These types of displays may be formed by electronic digital displays but these require expenditures of electricity and complicated electronics. Other displays are made of simple mechanical display elements which once shifted into position are intended to remain, to provide the appropriate display.
The primary requirements for a changeable display device of the latter description are that the display device be of simple and durable construction, and that the display positions of the display elements be quickly and conveniently changed. Preferably, the changes of display positions of the display elements can be performed from a position remote from the sign, as where the sign is positioned high above the ground.
In addition, when a display device is positioned high above the ground or outdoors as is the custom of most of these display devices used by roadside businesses, it is necessary that the display device provide appropriate means for maintaining each of the display elements in the appropriately selected display position. These signs may be subjected to winds and other weather which would tend to exert forces which would move the display elements out of the desired display position if a means for maintaining them in the display position is not provided. This means which maintains the display elements in the desired display orientation or position should be of a type that allows the display elements to be changed easily by the user but should also provide a secure means for maintaining the display elements in the orientation once the user has made the selection.
The following are a group of patents which relate to changeable display devices of various types.
______________________________________ Patent No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 532,032 Dalumi Jan. 8, 1895 554,837 Seibert Feb. 18, 1896 567,379 Dalumi Sept. 8, 1896 682,177 Dalumi Sept. 10, 1901 950,912 Harrington Mar. 1, 1910 1,004,810 Newell, Jr. Oct. 3, 1911 1,679 520 Giroux Aug. 7, 1928 1,731,164 Giroux Oct. 8, 1929 1,752,251 Giroux Mar. 25, 1930 1,765,215 Duchard June 17, 1930 2,628,838 Smalley Feb. 17, 1953 2,814,893 Aiken Dec. 3, 1957 3,410,011 Bowman Nov. 12, 1968 3,458,944 Jimenez Aug. 5, 1969 3,462,857 Glass et al Aug. 26, 1969 3,605,302 Moller Sept. 20, 1971 3,706,148 Johnston Dec. 19, 1972 3,740,878 Oelschlaeger June 26, 1973 4,063,377 Hukill Dec. 20, 1977 ______________________________________
A display device utilizing an array of display elements having sides of contrasting colors is disclosed in the Dalumi U.S. Pat. No. 532,032. Each of the display elements is hingedly attached to the back wall of the sign, and includes a spring member which normally holds the display element in the down position. A cable is attached to each of the display elements to enable them to be rotated upwardly from a position remote from the sign. An electromagnet is positioned above each of the catches and when activated permits the display element to rotate to the down position.
Seibert discloses a calendar display device having a series of pigeon holes or compartments provided with hinged doors to which are attached a plurality of reversible date plates or tabs for indicating the days of the week and the months of the year. Dalumi U.S. Pat. No. 567,379 discloses yet another display device which has rotating panels that rotate from an up to a down position to form contrasting color displays. The device of the Dalumi patent includes a spring to provide for friction so that the display elements are not easily rotated.
In Dalumi U.S. Pat. No. 682,177 another changeable display sign is disclosed having a plurality of display elements. A spring is again provided for causing friction against the rotating shaft to make the rotation of the display elements difficult because of the friction exerted by the spring. Further, a stop is provided behind the sign to engage a knuckle on the rotating edge of the panel to maintain the panel in the orientation once the panel has been placed in that orientation. These stops are selectively engaged and disengaged by the user.
In the Harrington U.S. Pat. No. 950,912 a reversible sign display is disclosed wherein an outer frame has an inner frame which has an inner display sign which can be pivoted to show either side of the inner display sign that is supported by the outer display sign. In the Newell U.S. Pat. No. 1,004,810 there is disclosed a transmutable display device having a two dimensional array of display elements. Each of the display elements is generally two sided, the first being flat and the second being curved. The area between the two surfaces is open and the display elements are suspended on a framework which includes rods which pass through the opening between the two surfaces. The displays are altered by shifting the display element about the associated rod and allowing it to slide downwardly so that the rod is received at one junction or the opposite junction between the flat and round surfaces.
In the Giroux U.S. Pat. No. 1,679,520 the display device consists of a plurality of panels that are mounted about a shaft essentially through their center. They are rotated in either direction about the shaft that runs through their center. They are maintained in position by tabs that friction engage with adjoining display panels. The Glass U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,857 discloses a toy having triangular display elements which may be rotated about a central shaft so that any particular side of the display element can be shown to form various displays. The Giroux U.S. Pat. No. 1,731,164 discloses a changeable sign which again has a plurality of display elements which are triangular and have three display sides and are mounted by their centers on a shaft. The display elements are rotated about their centers so that any one of the triangular display surfaces is shown.
Giroux U.S. Pat. No. 1,752,251 discloses a display device similar to the device of the Giroux Pat. No. 1,731,164. A cushion is provided on the back wall so that the points of the triangular display portions friction engage against that cushion so that the opposite display side tends to remain in its orientation. The Duchard U.S. Pat. No. 1,765,215 discloses a display device having a plurality of panels that are pivoted about their center and remain in position because of tabs that engage with adjoining panels. The panels are mounted on two opposite chains which are mounted on gears so that the entire display device may be rotated about two gear positions to provide a moving display.
The Smalley U.S. Pat. No. 2,628,838 discloses a rotary blot game apparatus having a plurality of triangular display elements disposed in a frame. These display elements are pivoted about the central axis. The Aiken U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,893 discloses a display device having a plurality of display elements having two display sides which are pivoted into display position by the action of arms which engage a portion of the display element. The arms are engaged to a pivoting arm portion which has a cam follower on it. The cam follower follows a cam that is mounted to a shaft with a plurality of similar cams. Each particular arm for each coinciding display element is mechanically joined to different cams. Depending on the type of cam, when the rotation of the shaft to which all the cams are mounted occurs the arm will be moved so that a particular display side of the display element will be displayed. Aiken thus provides for a device whereby the cams can be selectively altered so that with one rotation of the shaft the particular arms can be appropriately moved by the cam follower means so that a particular and appropriate display occurs through the pivoting of the corresponding display elements.
The Bowman U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,011 discloses a triangular display element disposed about a central axis so that any one of the three sides of the display element will be displayed. The rear point of the triangle engages a foam or rubber material to cause friction so that the front part of the display element being displayed tends to stay in its orientation.
The Jimenez U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,954 discloses a display device having a plurality of pockets in which display elements may be received to form particular displays. The Moller U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,302 discloses a moveable display device having a plurality of elements mounted to a chain which are pivotable about their central axis to form a display and are moved along to form a moving display. The Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,148 discloses a display device having triangular display elements which have an open interior space which engages various support strips. The interior of the triangle has a ridge disposed at different locations to allow for sorting of the various display elements. The Oelschlaeger U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,878 discloses a display device in which the support member of the display device is also rotatable as well as the individual display elements of the support member.
The Hukill U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,377 is a patent that was issued to the present inventor on Mar. 29, 1976. It discloses a display device having a plurality of display elements which are rotatably mounted about their edges and also a means for providing for remote rotation of those display elements. A spring retention means is shown for holding the display element in one position, and the display element can be rotated by means of a cable into another position.